
She’ll explain.

This is Kristin Vega
Kristin is the Manager of the new Corporate Communications department at Ernest and her drive has become the stuff of legend at HQ in LA. She’s driven by her immediate family. She’s driven by the strong women who’ve inspired her to keep striving for excellence. She’s driven by the need to see her team succeed. And if you’ve ever bumped into her in the breakroom, you know she’s driven by something else, too: coffee. Although with her positive energy, it might actually be the coffee that’s getting a boost from her.
Raised in the small beach town of Santa Barbara, Kristin was the oldest of five children. Which meant babysitting. Which meant missing out on some stuff that other sibling-less tweens and teens could do. But those lost hours at the mall or the movies pale in comparison to the life lessons she gained from being a big sis. It taught her independence and responsibility. And of course, the importance of family. Which, like so many others, is the word she uses to describe working at Ernest.
So as Corporate Communications Manager, what does Kristin do, exactly? Short answer: she communicates. In fact, she holds a college degree in it. Which comes in extraordinarily handy when dealing with campaigns, marketing collateral, event planning, graphics and text, company announcements, launches, initiatives, travel and Insider content. It’s also very useful for another, much simpler reason. It helps her connect with people. Especially her very small team of three. Her words about them were this, “I wouldn’t be where I am without their support. I love them.” We have the sneaking suspicion the feeling’s mutual.
One of the reasons could be that Kristin has held every job in Corporate Communications. And, little known fact: she started at Ernest as a temp. This background of starting from the ground up helps her relate to the ones she works alongside.
Because she’ll never ask for something that’s unrealistic. Simply because she’s done it before. Hers is the type of story that’s so completely Ernest. Proof that humble beginnings, hard work and hands-on is a real recipe for success. To this day, Kristin prides herself on keeping an open line of communication with her team, collaborating with open arms across divisions and always staying open to new projects and opportunities to grow.
Now, let’s get down to the fun stuff. She was stumped by one of the interview questions, “What is your E-Team name?” So what did she do? She opened it up to her team. And they gave her one with some serious muscle. KV-12. You know, like V12. Like the engine. When asked what the next Cardboard Chaos creation should be, Kristin fielded that one all by herself: a cardboard robot. But not just any paper-and-epoxy android. She suggested a BARISTA robot to brew and deliver coffee to the employees of Ernest. When you put those two answers together, you understand what makes her inspirational engine roar.
When she’s not working with her Ernest family, she’s still surrounded by family. With a loving daughter and a husband who’s one of seven kids (that’s 12 in-laws and outlaws total, if you’re keeping count), there’s a lot of love to go around. And being in LA, there a lot places to go to spread it. Kristin loves going the beaches, parks, museums and sporting events to take full advantage of what the City of Angels has to offer. In fact, ever since she was a little girl from the sleepy little seaside town, she’s always been attracted to the big city.
We’re thankful for that. That she made the two-hour migration down the coast 10 years ago. That she walked through our doors nine years ago. And that we’ll be able to keep learning and growing with her for many, many years to come.